NEW DELHI: At least one person was killed and six others were injured after a portion of the roof of the Delhi airport's Terminal-1 fell on cars, including taxis, during heavy rainfall in the early hours of Friday.
A search operation is currently underway to ensure no one else is trapped in the damaged vehicles.
The collapse involved not just the roof sheet but also the support beams, causing significant damage to cars parked in the pick-up and drop area of the terminal. The injured individuals have been hospitalized for treatment.
Of the six injured, one person was rescued from a car after an iron beam had fallen on it. DFS officials received a call about the incident around 5:30 am, prompting the dispatch of three fire-tenders to the airport.
"Due to heavy rain since early this morning, a portion of the canopy at the old departure forecourt of Delhi airport's Terminal-1 collapsed around 5 am. There are injuries reported and emergency personnel are working to provide all necessary assistance and medical aid to those affected," a DIAL spokesperson said in a statement.
As a precautionary measure, all departures from Terminal-1 have been temporarily halted, and check-in counters have been closed. However, flight arrivals remain unaffected by the incident.
Apart from that, the shuttle service connecting Delhi Aerocity Metro station to Terminal 1 of IGI Airport has been temporarily halted. Additionally, the entry and exit points at Yashobhoomi Dwarka Sector - 25 Metro station have been closed due to the intense rainfall in the city.
According to ADO Ravinder, "The shed of the airport collapsed, resulting in 8 persons trapped. The injured were rescued and removed to Medanta Hospital by PCR/CATS. One trapped person was taken out in dead condition".
DCP Usha Rangnani of IGI Airport provided further details about the incident, confirming the fatality and said that appropriate legal measures will be taken in response to the situation.
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu provided an update on the situation through a post on X, stating, "Personally monitoring the roof collapse incident at T1 Delhi Airport. First responders are working at site. Also advised the airlines to assist all affected passengers at T1. The injured have been evacuated to hospital. Rescue operations are still ongoing."
Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, the Union Minister of Civil Aviation, visited the incident site where a portion of the canopy collapsed due to heavy rainfall.
In his statement, the minister expressed his condolences, saying, "...A section of the canopy which is outside of the airport has collapsed due to heavy rains. We express our condolence to the life that has been lost in this tragic incident, four people have also been injured. So we are taking care of them right now. We immediately sent the emergency response team, the fire safety team and also the CISF, NDRF teams. Everyone was available at the site and they have done thorough inspection so that no other casualties are there. So right now the situation is under control. The rest of the terminal building has been closed and everything is being thoroughly inspected so that there is no further untoward incident here."
An IndiGo representative stated that the adverse weather conditions have caused structural damage to Terminal 1, resulting in disruptions to flight operations.
The airline's statement mentioned, "This has led to flight cancellations at Delhi as passengers are not able to enter the terminal. Passengers already inside the terminal will be able to board their planned flights, but those with flights later in the day will be offered alternatives."
Furthermore, IndiGo acknowledged that the unexpected situation has affected operations across their entire network.
The airline advised, "Customers are advised to keep track of and confirm their flight status before leaving for the airport."
SpiceJet also shared on X that flights have been canceled due to the partial closure of Terminal 1 until further notice.
The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in Delhi is operated by the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), a consortium led by the GMR Group. The airport consists of three terminals, namely T1, T2, and T3, with Terminal-1 exclusively handling domestic flight operations.
According to government sources, the roof that collapsed at the Delhi airport’s terminal 1 was constructed during 2008-09. The work was contracted out by GMR to private contractors.
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